When AI is Doing the Hiring5 tips to help your résumé get past the bots.

1. Put contact information in the body, not the header. 

ATS often ignore headers and footers, so don’t place your name, phone number or email address there. Instead, list them at the top of the main body so the systems won’t miss your basic details.

2. Use standard section headers.

ATS programs look for familiar headings to organize your information. Stick with simple, all-caps headers like PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY, WORK EXPERIENCE and EDUCATION. Creative alternatives such as “What I’ve Done” or “Where I Studied” may confuse it.

3. Include locations for in-person jobs.

Include the city and state of your employer in the WORK EXPERIENCE section. If the role was remote, write “Remote” instead. ATS often screen résumés based on geography, and clear location details prevent experience from being filtered out.

4. Use both full terms and acronyms. 

Some systems scan only for acronyms, while others scan only for full terms. To cover your bases, include both at least once. For example: “Bachelor of Science (BS)” or “Artificial Intelligence (AI).”

5. Repeat keywords from the job description.

ATS score résumés based on how closely they match the language in the job posting. Study the position description and sprinkle exact words and phrases throughout your résumé’s sections. Strategic repetition helps boost your relevance score and increases the likelihood of your résumé getting sent to the hiring manager.

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